Curse of Strahd (D&D 5E 2024)

Creating your character

We'll do character creation in a free 45-minute 1-on-1 call before the campaign starts. Your Character: 1. Any official 5e content from D&D Beyond (I share everything, you buy nothing) 2. Standard array, point buy, or rolled stats (your choice) 3. Starting at level 1 4. Choose an Advanced Profession instead of a background: Academic, Aristocrat, Clergy, Criminal, Common Folk, Militarist, Outlander, or Occult. These aren't backstory, they're mechanical progression systems (Rank 1-4) that give you abilities, resources, and story power throughout the campaign Your Ancestor: Together we'll create your ancestor who lived 400 years ago and their connection to Strahd. E.G.s: The Soldier's Line: Served under Strahd, tried to stop him. You inherit the Sunsword's broken hilt. The Lover's Line: Rejected Strahd before Tatyana, murdered on their wedding day. You inherit a torn journal page. The Betrayer's Line: Strahd's advisor who betrayed him. You inherit the holy symbol's broken chain. The Witness's Line: Saw something they shouldn't have. You inherit a map. The Rival's Line: Competed with Strahd for power. You inherit Van Richten's journal. The Tatyana Line: You're descended from her bloodline, you look exactly like her. You inherit her locket. We'll connect your ancestor to YOUR current backstory, that dead mentor, that job offer, those nightmares? All Strahd's doing. By the end of Session Zero, you'll have a complete character whose past is woven directly into the campaign.

Preparing for the session

Before Session 1, create these accounts (all free): Discord - Voice chat and campaign hub (I'll send the invite) D&D Beyond - Character sheets (I share all content) Foundry VTT - No account needed, just click my browser link

What Davi brings to the table

Technical Setup: Professional Foundry VTT: Custom maps, animated tokens, dynamic lighting, weather effects, automated mechanics. The Mists feel REAL. All D&D Beyond Content Shared: Every official book. You buy nothing. Session Recordings: Available if you want to rewatch or catch up Visual Handouts: Letters from Strahd, torn journal pages, maps, family trees, Tarokka cards Storytelling: Distinct Voice Acting for 30+ NPCs: You'll know who's talking without me announcing it. Strahd sounds different than Van Richten. Ireena sounds different than Lady Wachter. Personalized NPC Reactions: Ireena recognizes the Tatyana line instantly. Vladimir Horngaard judges the Soldier's line. Van Richten trusts the Witness's line. NPCs react to YOUR bloodline, not generic adventurers. Ancestor Flashback Scenes: 3-4 times during the campaign, you'll play AS your ancestor in fully playable scenes from 400 years ago. Make choices, see how they failed (or almost succeeded). Between-Session Content: Ancestor memory messages (2-3 paragraphs from their perspective) Personalized letters from Strahd about your bloodline Profession opportunities from NPCs World updates (Barovians react to your actions) My GM Style: Character-Driven Horror: Your backstory becomes the plot. That dead mentor? Strahd killed them. That family heirloom? He recognizes it and tells you how your ancestor died holding it. Every major NPC reacts to YOUR family name specifically. Tactical Cinematic Combat: Every fight uses environmental elements. Castle Ravenloft battles happen on crumbling towers with 300-foot drops. The Old Bonegrinder has explosive flour bags and grinding gears. Vallaki's festival riot uses parade floats as mobile cover. Strahd teleports you between castle rooms mid-fight (elevator shafts, high towers, flooded dungeons). No terrain is ever just a flat room. Player Choice Matters: The world doesn't pause. Ignore Vallaki's politics? Lady Wachter coups the Baron without you. Don't defend the Wizard of Wines? The druids burn it. Antagonize the Vistani? They side with Strahd. Your choices echo through 40 sessions to determine which of four endings you can access. What Makes My Tables Different: Players say my campaigns feel like a TV show where they're the main characters. Every session has one "holy shit" moment, every character gets spotlight time, and by the end you'll have inside jokes, NPCs you genuinely care about, and a story you'll remember for years. I've had players from different countries become real friends through my campaigns,that sense of community is what I'm building here.

Homebrew rules

Combat Enhancements: Potions as Bonus Action: Keeps healing viable and combat flowing Flanking Grants Advantage: Rewards tactical positioning Bleeding Out Escalates: Each time you drop to 0 HP in combat, death saves get harder (DC 10 → 11 → 13, etc.). Resets on long rest. Combat is DANGEROUS. Critical Hits Hit Hard: Max your weapon dice, then roll additional. A longsword crit = 8 + 1d8 + STR. Crits feel devastating. Critical Fumbles (Nat 1s): On a natural 1 attack roll, something goes wrong, weapon stuck in wood, slip on blood, hit an ally. Not mechanically punishing, but cinematically interesting. Inspiration & Heroism: Inspiration Refreshes on Short Rests: Take creative risks, make bold choices Inspiration Can Be Used After Seeing the Roll: More tactical, more useful Heroic Sacrifice: If you take a killing blow meant for another PC, you automatically stabilize at 0 HP (once per long rest). Heroism matters. Environment & Exploration: Environment is Always Weaponized: Chandeliers to cut down, explosive barrels, crumbling ledges, flooding rooms. If you can describe it creatively, we'll make it work. Falling is Dangerous: Falling damage is REAL in Barovia. Castle Ravenloft has 300-foot drops. Don't fall. Light Sources Matter: Darkness isn't just "lightly obscured." In true darkness (Ravenloft's dungeons, the Amber Temple), you NEED light or you're fighting blind. Barovia-Specific: The Mists are Deadly: Don't try to leave Barovia through the Mists. NPCs who try don't come back. Vampire Rules Enforced: Vampires can't enter homes without invitation (this matters tactically). Running water hurts them. Sunlight kills. Dark Powers are Watching: At the Amber Temple, Dark Power gifts are REAL and TEMPTING. Accepting them changes your character mechanically and narratively. Profession Abilities Profession Dice Stack: Your profession die adds to checks where your expertise applies. This STACKS with Expertise, Guidance, and Bardic Inspiration. Specialists should feel REALLY good at their thing. Profession Advancement is Story-Based: You rank up by accomplishing profession-specific goals in the narrative, not by XP. A Physician ranks up by curing plagues. A Soldier ranks up by winning battles. Social & Roleplay: Rule of Cool: If it's cinematic, makes narrative sense, and you can justify it in-character, I'm saying yes. Swing from that chandelier. Dropkick that vampire spawn. Make it cool. NPCs Remember Everything: Betray someone? They remember. Save someone? They remember. Your reputation in Barovia is REAL and has mechanical consequences (prices, quest availability, who helps you in the finale). Everything else is Rules as Written. I know 5e thoroughly—we rarely stop to look things up.

How Davi creates a safe table

Before Session Zero: I send a private Google Form for Lines & Veils: Lines = hard boundaries (we don't include this at all) Veils = topics we acknowledge but don't describe in detail Common examples: graphic torture, harm to children/animals, sexual content, specific phobias, body horror. I create a master list shared with the group (your individual responses stay private). During Sessions: X, N, O Cards (verbal, chat, or physical): X = stop immediately, no questions asked N = I'm uncomfortable, tone it down O = I'm loving this, keep going Open Door Policy: Take breaks, step away, or leave early anytime. Your wellbeing > the game. Built-in Breaks: 5-10 minutes around the 2-hour mark every session Content Calibration: Curse of Strahd is horror, but I calibrate intensity to what the table wants. Want full dread and gruesome descriptions? I'll lean in. Want dark fantasy adventure with horror elements? I'll focus on action and mystery. Want to avoid specific content? Tell me and we navigate around it completely. After Intense Sessions: Group debriefs after heavy story beats Individual check-ins via Discord if something landed hard Ongoing feedback channel for anonymous safety concerns My Commitment: The story flexes to match your comfort level. If content isn't working, we adjust openly. I'm here to run compelling gothic horror everyone enjoys and feels safe in, not to traumatize anyone.